Usagi
by StixOfCinnamon
Summary: Eric Sacks stood in awe of the turtles caged in front of him. "Wow. And we were going to use rabbits!" 2k14 movie-verse. Oneshot. Complete. Might turn into a series.


**Usagi**

**A/N**_.Oneshot. 2k14 movie-verse. Complete. Turtles aren't mine. Sorry if anyone seems OOC._

_oOo_

Doctor O'neil huddled over a microscope and scribbled down his observations on the blood samples. Frustrated, he leaned back and rubbed his eyes. After two weeks of daily injections, the rats showed no progress.

A small bubbly voice filled the laboratory. "… and this is where my dad works on top secret science experiments. It's sounds kinda weird…" Doctor O'neil looked towards the source of the sound. A mop of auburn hair and freckles was looking into the camera lens of her most recent Christmas gift. The doctor softly snapped his fingers to get her attention. April's blue eyes turned and met his. O'neil whispered, "April, you know how daddy's work is super top secret?"

April smiled at him with a gap toothed grin and pointed the camera to him. She squinted at the pixels of the live recording and urged him to continue, (she _had_ to get the scoop), "Yes?" Doctor O'neil sighed and reached a calloused hand out to cover the exposed lens. "So how about we put the camera away, okay?"

April looked at her pink tennis shoes and shut off her camera. "Alright, dad."

The sound of someone clearing their throat pierced the solemn silence. April turned towards the lab's entrance and broke into a smile. Doctor O'neil was on his feet and he bent over April and whispered fiercely, "April, sweetheart, why don't you go to the lounge and-"

"No. By all means, let the child stay." O'neil began to stutter. "Mr. Sacks, I apologize, she was just leaving." The doctor looked at his daughter with a pointed look. "Weren't you?" April's bright eyes clouded over with confusion and she looked at Mr. Sacks.

Eric Sacks strode towards the duo and waved off the scientist's flustered demeanor. He smiled at April and kneeled to her level. Cold gray eyes met her blue ones as he smiled and said, "Actually, I think you might be able to help me with something, April."

April's eyes widened and she fumbled with her camera. If she could actually _help_ with her father's research, she wouldn't just be reporting the news, she'd be a _part_ of it. Doctor O'neil rubbed his hands together and carefully watched Sacks' face for any sign of danger. He needed this assignment for his big break into the science community, and he didn't want the curiosity of his daughter costing him this golden opportunity.

April's jaw dropped. "Really? You want _my_ help?" Eric Sacks chuckled and stood up. "Yes, I do." He faced her father. "In fact, I'll need your input as well."

April and her father followed him down the hallway. Eric Sacks stopped in front of a door and swiped his security card in the electronic lock. The lock flashed green before a click was heard and Sacks opened the door for the O'neils.

The room was a simple, run of the mill type of lab. But April's gaze was drawn to the glass cage on the table in the center of the room. April zoomed towards the table and pressed her nose to the glass. The small habitat was made of smooth rocks and a mini pond of water. And resting on the rocks were four baby turtles.

April's breath fogged her view as she spoke, "They are so cute!" Eric Sacks smiled at the girl's antics and turned to the scientist. "We've already decided to continue the use of the rat. But quite frankly, it isn't progressing as fast as we'd hoped."

April continued to gush over the turtles and stood on her tiptoes to get a better look. "What are their names?" Doctor O'neil started to shush her before Eric politely answered her question. "Well, the one basking on that rock with the blue on his shell, that is Leonardo." Eric pointed to the turtle nearby Leonardo and continued. "The one with the purple is Donatello…" Eric's attention shifted to the third, which'd turned his back on his counterparts to gorge himself on a leaf. "…That hungry little beast is Michelangelo…" And April's gaze finally rested on the last turtle. This one had strayed the furthest from the group and had pressed himself into the corner of the little habitat. He had pushed one of his legs onto the glass and tilted himself upward in an attempt to see the top of the cage. His eyes shifted from side to side restlessly. "…and the turtle trying to make a jailbreak is Raphael."

April attempted to form the names in her mouth and giggled. "Wow. They're amazing." Eric smiled proudly at the future experiments. "Yes they are." Doctor O'neil nervously prompted Mr. Sacks, "Um, sir- you were saying?" Sacks turned to the scientist and blinked. "Oh, yes. As I was saying earlier, the rat isn't progressing at a desirable rate. So I've consulted with our supervisors about bringing in different test subjects." Doctor O'neil didn't miss a beat. "The turtles?"

Eric Sacks smirked. Duh.

"Yes. We would like to see if maybe the compound reacts differently in a reptilian subject rather than a mammal. Maybe these turtles could help us finally find the correct formula."

April circled the table before surveying the rest of the room. On the far corner of one counter, next to the door of the supply closet, was another cage. This one was made of wire and padded with straw and hay. As she approached the cage, a ball of white fur came into her view.

The scientists' murmurs abruptly stopped at the shrill sound that April let out. (Even Leonardo retracted his head into his shell, mildly disturbed that his basking was interrupted.)

April bounced on her toes. Her hair swished and framed her round face and with a shrilly voice she said, "Oh my gosh! He is so cute!"

Doctor O'neil wasn't amused. "April, sweetie, would you please be a little quieter?"

April ignored him and once again sought answers from Mr. Sacks. "What's his name?"

Mr. Sacks didn't find April's interruptions annoying. Time-consuming, yes, most often. And sometimes, yes, they were exhausting. But the child-like innocence she possessed reminded him of fonder times. Times like before the tragedy in his village, before he watched the life leave the bodies of his parents.

Mr. Sacks strode towards the cage. "This rabbit was given to us by a friend of mine from Japan. He calls him 'Usagi'."

April punched the buttons on her video camera and lifted it to further examine the rabbit. Sacks broke her excitement. "Unfortunately, we won't need his help on our project." April deflated and poked a finger into the cage. "Why not?"

Mr. Sacks looked into the beady eyes of the rabbit. After three injections and no response, the rabbit was now expendable. "Because we already have four new turtles to help us."

April poked out her bottom lip. "Oh."

She returned to the middle table where the turtles resided and powered up her camera. "This is April O'neil, reporting live, and here we have…" Doctor O'neil's eye twitched and he looked at Mr. Saki, ready to shuffle April out if necessary, but he had already retrieved the rabbit's cage and left the room.

_oOo_

**END**

_Potential sequel on the horizon. _


End file.
